Tibetan General Meeting Reaffirms Support for Middle Way Approach, Urges Dalai Lama to Retain Leadership

September 3rd 2010

Speaker Penpa Tsering reads out the resolutions passed during the TGM.

31 August 2010 (Phayul Photo)

Bylakuppe,
Karnataka, India, 1 September 2010 (By Tenzin Tsering, phayul.com) - “I am 76 now. The responsibility should be taken over in a
spirit as if I am no longer present. I will continue working for Tibet
till I die, but in a different capacity where I will be good and most
efficient at,” said the Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama here
Tuesday.

The Tibetan leader who arrived in the largest Tibetan
settlement yesterday was responding to a resolution that appealed him to
continue his leadership. His Holiness was speaking to around 350
participants of the first Tibetan National General Meeting that
concluded at the Sera monastery Tuesday.

The TGM unanimously
urged the Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama not to consider retirement from
his position as the leader of the Tibetan people and the Tibetan cause.

“The
participants of the GM unanimously appeal Your Holiness to remain as
the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people and not to state
retirement from leading the Tibetan people while we reaffirm our
absolute faith and allegiance to you as the supreme leader of the
Tibetan people and movement,” said Mr. Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the
Tibetan Parliament, as he presented the resolutions passed at the GM
before His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Tibetan leader mentioned
his “inevitable” absence in due course and that he is already in semi
retirement. “One day, I will retire from all present responsibilities in
the exile government. In our Tibetan democracy, it is not a necessity
that I should be present,” said the Tibetan leader.

With his characteristic sense of humour, His Holiness said he too was entitled to human rights being a human.

In
an expression that suggested gradual transfer of all responsibility and
power to Kalon Tripa, the Tibetan leader shared with the gathering
that while discussing over important matters with Kalon Tripa, the
latter has several times made the final call exercising his decision
making power. He went on to suggest that important documents of exile
government should seek Kalon Tripa’s signature.

“On the issue of
policy, we reinstate our support to the Middle Way approach of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama in taking forward the Tibetan movement” said the
Speaker, who chaired the TGM.

On Middle way approach (MWA) as
the policy of the exile government, the Tibetan leader pointed out the
grave danger to the Tibetan identity, culture, environment and religion
that the Tibetans inside Tibet are facing, calling it a critical moment.

“So, the MWA is the most practical and also mutually beneficial to both the Tibetan and Chinese side.” said the Dalai Lama.

The
Tibetan delegates to the meeting have put forward a guideline to the
Tibetan Parliament and Kashag with the recommendations passed on the
various exile government policies on education, health, economy and
policy, among others.

“90% of resolutions passed in the GM were
unanimous and 10% were passed with majority. It was carried in an open
and frank atmosphere” said Mr Pempa Tsering, calling the first Tibetan
National Meeting a “success.”

A traditional long life prayer
offering to His Holiness the Dalai Lama was organized by the Tibetans at
Sera Monastery earlier today.

On September 2, Tibetans will
commemorate the 50th founding anniversary of Tibetan democracy, during
which the Tibetan parliament, on behalf of the Tibetan people, will
honour His Holiness the Dalai Lama with a ‘Golden Seal’ for leading the
Tibetan freedom struggle and for establishing democracy in Tibetan
polity. Over 30 parliament members from 14 different countries,
legislators of Karnataka and local dignitaries will also attend the
event.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, on September 3, is set to visit the schools and monasteries located in the settlement.

Latest News

Buddhist Teachings Related to the Eight Verses for Training the MindFebruary 13th 2015Copenhagen, Denmark, 12 February 2015 - A group of Danish Parliamentarians representing all eight parties present in parliament were the focus of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s first meeting this morning. He greeted them saying: “In 1973, as I was about to set out on my first trip to Europe, the BBC correspondent Mark Tully asked me why I was going and I told him that although I was a refugee I considered myself a citizen of the world."